Diplacus pictus
Calico monkeyflower
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · licence
Family: Phrymaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Diplacus pictus (Calico monkeyflower) is a native California herb in the Phrymaceae family, recognized by distinctive calico-patterned flowers and square stems.
Calico monkeyflower is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in southern Sierra Nevada foothills and Tehachapi Mountains in bare, sunny, shrubby areas around granite outcrops at elevations of 135 to 1,250 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces white flowers with bold, intricate purple-brown veins, creating a distinctive calico-like pattern on the delicate white petals. Growing with hairy, four-sided stems 10 to 38 centimeters tall, it has a compact, branching form typical of annual wildflowers. Its obovate leaves are 7 to 45 millimeters long, positioned along the hairy stems with a soft, textured appearance. The fruit develops 7 to 17 millimeters long, with the flower's calyx expanding to 18 millimeters as seeds mature.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 12 sympatric species; distinguished by distinctive calico-patterned flowers and square stems
Habitat and range
Habitat: Bare, sunny, shrubby areas, around granite outcrops
Elevation: 135-1250 m
Bloom period
Diplacus pictus blooms Mar-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Erythranthe: Diplacus has a corolla that withers and stays attached and typically grows in dry, rocky places; Erythranthe drops its corolla cleanly and favors wet seeps and streambanks.; vs Mimulus: Diplacus covers the shrubby and small annual western monkeyflowers with ribbed, inflating calyces; Mimulus (in the strict sense) is a fleshy-stemmed perennial with squarish 4-angled stems.; vs Mimetanthe: Diplacus is puberulent to glandular with a distinctly 2-lipped flower; Mimetanthe is densely long-soft-wavy-hairy with tiny yellow flowers and a nearly regular calyx.; vs Collinsia: Diplacus has an open funnel-throated corolla and a 5-ribbed calyx; Collinsia has a sharply 2-lipped flower with the middle lower lobe folded into a keel that hides the stamens.; vs Antirrhinum: Diplacus has an open-throated corolla and free calyx lobes; Antirrhinum (snapdragon) has a closed, pouched throat sealed by a palate and a spurless sac at the base.
Frequently asked questions
Is Diplacus pictus native to California?
Yes. Diplacus pictus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Diplacus pictus bloom?
Diplacus pictus blooms Mar-May.
What plant family does Diplacus pictus belong to?
Diplacus pictus is in the Phrymaceae family, genus Diplacus.
Is Diplacus pictus rare or endangered?
Diplacus pictus carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2.
What habitat does Diplacus pictus grow in?
Diplacus pictus grows in Bare, sunny, shrubby areas, around granite outcrops.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.